ECOSOC resolutions 2007 English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=E/2007/INF/2/Add.2
The Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Economic and Social Council at its resumed substantive session of 2007 have been issued (E/2007/INF/2/Add.2). This includes the ECOSOC-adopted text for the non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests. The General Assembly adopted the non-legally binding instrument in December (A/RES/62/98 to be issued).

General Assembly 63rd session - preliminary list of items (A/63/50) English, French and Spanish:http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/63/50
The preliminary list of items (A/63/50) has been issued for the 63rd session of the General Assembly (GA), which will convene at UN Headquarters on Tuesday, 16 September 2008. The list includes a total of 154 provisional agenda items covering, among others, such topics as the maintenance of international peace and security (items 9-42), the promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development (items 43-59), the promotion of human rights (items 61-67) and disarmament (items 82-98).

General Assembly 61st session Resolutions and Decisions (A/61/49 (Vol. III)) English, French & Spanish: http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/61/49(Vol.III)(SUPP)
The third volume of the Resolutions and Decisions of the 61st session of the General Assembly has been issued (A/61/49 (Vol. III)). This volume includes the resolutions and decisions adopted 23 December 2006 – 17 September 2007.

Regional Commissions New York Office (RCNYO) - new web site http://www.un.org/regionalcommissions/
A corporate window to the five Regional Commissions, the new site notably features the global activities, dialogues and presentations by the Executive Secretaries of the Commissions, as well as common products.

Security Council resolutions and decisions (S/INF/62) English, French & Spanish: http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/INF/62
The compiliation of Resolutions and Decisions of the Security Council covering the period 1 August 2006 to 31 July 2007 has been released (S/INF/62). This compilation forms part of the Official Records of the Security Council.

Advisory Guide to Address Nuclear Terror Threat (IAEA) http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/pub1309_web.pdf
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has released a reference manual that details how to prevent, detect, and respond to an incidence of nuclear terrorism. “Combating Illicit Trafficking in Nuclear and Other Radioactive Material” serves as a how-to booklet on several topics related to criminal acts involving nuclear and radioactive material. The manual is composed of four sections, containing:

Discussion of the nature of the threat posed by illicit acts utilizing nuclear and radioactive material, along with an outline of policy and legal frameworks currently in place to hinder such an act;

Review of international steps being taken to counter the threat;

Primer on radioactive material, the public health risks associated with exposure to radiation, and information on current applications and transport issues involving radioactive material; and

Advisory text on how countries can prevent, detect and confront a possible threat.

Report on Conflict Prevention (S/2008/18)English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=S/2008/18
The Secretary-General has submitted a report to the Security Council on the implementation of its resolution 1625 (2005) on conflict prevention, particularly in Africa (S/2008/18). In its introduction, the report notes that:
A culture of prevention is taking hold at the United Nations; awareness of the importance of prevention has spread, and the commitment to building and mainstreaming its tools has taken root. Progress is being made in strengthening the Organization’s ability to respond to disputes or situations that might lead to violence and to address the root causes of conflict.

Security Sector Reform (A/62/659-S/2008/39)English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/62/659
The Secretary-General report on Securing peace and development: the role of the United Nations in supporting security sector reform is now available (A/62/659-S/2008/39). The report was issued in response to requests of the Security Council in a presidential statement of 21 February 2007 (S/PRST/2007/3) and General Assembly resolution 61/291. The report recommended a number of immediate priorities for the development of a holistic and coherent United Nations approach to security sector reform, in support of national actors.

Economic & Social Development

Erosion of trade preferences in the post-Hong Kong framework: From "trade is better than aid" to "aid for trade” (UNCTAD report) http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/ldc20056_en.pdf
A new study of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) looks at the erosion of trade preferences since the WTO´s Hong Kong conference in 2005. The report examines which products and countries have benefited the most from existing preferences granted by the United States, Japan and the European Union and finds the issue of erosion of trade preferences remains to be addressed to the satisfaction of many developing countries.

Global Economic Prospects 2008 (World Bank) http://go.worldbank.org/RUTFVOKW40
Global Economic Prospects 2008 notes that rapid technological progress in developing countries has helped to raise incomes and reduce the share of people living in absolute poverty from 29 percent in 1990 to 18 percent in 2004. Despite these gains, the technology gap between rich and poor countries remains enormous, and the capacity of developing economies to adopt new technology remains weak. With the subtitle Technology Diffusion in the Developing World, the World Bank report notes that recent progress reflects increased exposure to foreign technologies.

Global Employment Trends 2008 (ILO) English, French & Spanish: http://www.ilo.org/global/What_we_do/
Publications/lang--en/docName--WCMS_090106/index.htm
The International Labour Office (ILO) has released “Global Employment Trends 2008”. The report analyses the impact on labour markets of a wide range of factors, including population and economic growth, economic effects of the credit crisis in industrialized countries, rising oil prices, and a projected slowdown in economic growth. According to the press release, "economic turbulence largely due to credit market turmoil and rising oil prices could spur an increase in global unemployment by an estimated 5 million persons in 2008."

The State of the World’s Children 2008 (UNICEF report) English:http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/French:http://www.unicef.org/french/sowc08/index.phpSpanish: http://www.unicef.org/spanish/sowc08/index.php
The State of the World’s Children 2008 assesses the state of child survival and primary health care for mothers, newborns and children today. These issues serve as sensitive barometers of a country’s development and wellbeing and as evidence of its priorities and values. Investing in the health of children and their mothers is a human rights imperative and one of the surest ways for a country to set its course towards a better future.

UN activity on Climate Change (A/62/644)English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/62/644
A new report of the Secretary-General provides an overview of UN activities on climate change (A/62/644). The report highlights activities of UN programmes, funds, and specialized agencies on the topic and includes an overview of current UN activities on climate change organized by key areas; a forward-looking paper entitled “Coordinated United Nations system action on climate change”; and a table summarizing extensive consultations on a common approach for all relevant UN bodies. The report forms part of the background for an up-coming General Assembly thematic debate on climate change: http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/ThematicDebates/themclimatechange.shtml

Human Rights

The Vienna Forum to Fight Human Trafficking13 - 15 February 2008, The Austria Center Viennahttp://www.ungift.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=687
The first global forum to fight human trafficking took place in Vienna from 13-15 February 2008. The Vienna Forum is being convened by the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) which was formally launched by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in March 2007 in recognition of the fact that human trafficking takes many forms and that a co-ordinated and united approach is required.

International Law

Armed conflicts and treaties (A/CN.4/589)English, French & Spanish:http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/CN.4/589
The fourth report on the effects of armed conflicts on treaties, by Mr. Ian Brownlie, Special Rapporteur, has been issued (A/CN.4/589). The report is issued for the consideration of the International Law Commission. The online “Analytical Guide” has a summary of the work on this topic with links to relevant documents: http://untreaty.un.org/ilc/guide/gfra.htm

Social Media

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